Jack Johnson

CNN Music & Art

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CNN Music & Art

Ben Harper

CNN Music & Art

June 2018 Playlist

Friday, June 1, 2018

I’m a mix making machine who has finally found the ultimate form of musical expression. One CD per month that defines that 30 day span of my life… a musical diary, if you will, where the songs represent my mood, direction and texture. Each month I pull from my library of classics, and mix in current cuts that have me dancing. I like each mix to span several decades and genres. I am constantly absorbing tastes and ideas from some very knowledgeable music savvy friends, Spotify playlists by “Songpickr” and “Release Radar” and magazines like Paste and Q keep me plugged in to the scene around the world. Bottom line – I am always searching for new music, and the highlight of my day is when I find some.

Sattar Kawoosh – Women in Love (June 2018 Playlist)

My rules are simple: 1) The mix must fit in a 120 minute CD. 2) A band, musician and/or song must only be used once a year. In addition, I make a cover for each CD using Google images and Roxio’s “Disc Cover 2” program, found in its Toast software. The cover features art or photography that I feel captures the spirit of the month’s music. As you’ll see, my tempo turns slowly, most often to the beat of a love song. I spend weeks polishing the transitions between songs, so as one ends, the next begins in perfect harmony. In addition to the monthly mixes, I also burn genre-specific discs that are just as carefully constructed. I will post those as added bonuses along the way. In sharing this part of my life with you, my hope is that you will comment on songs on these playlists that move you, and maybe you’ll be inspired to make this a habit, too. If so, please use the comment box below each post to share your CD with us. Of course, feel free to make up your own rules, and certainly no boundaries on the type of music or limits on how you should mix it. Now let’s get to it… June 2018.

About the Author

Bamz Ben Bamsey is a Senior Producer for CNNi in Los Angeles. He is a two-time Emmy Award winning journalist with a Master's Degree from the University of Iowa, the former Senior Editor for Artworks Magazine and former Music Director for The Carmel Art & Film Festival. He is also the proud papa of Harper Grace and Elizabeth Rose.